Saturday, June 30, 2012

After complaints that students at Montgomery Blair High School may learn that homosexual behavior is a choice, rather than "innate" as taught in the sex education curriculum for the past few years, the Montgomery County school board barred non-profit organizations from distributing fliers.

The Montgomery County Board of Education voted on Monday to change its policy on “backpack fliers.” Starting in the coming school year, nonprofits will not be allowed to have their fliers distributed to middle school and high school students.

The decision came on a recommendation of the school system’s policy committee, which was given the task of reviewing the policy after a flier sent home by Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays this school year provoked complaints from some school officials and gay rights advocates.

Laura Berthiaume (Dist. 2) of Rockville was the only board member to vote against the policy changes Monday, saying the change might negatively impact membership in nonprofits, such as Boy Scouts and youth leagues, and that changing the rules might hurt the school system’s community bond.

Under law, the school system is not able to pick which nonprofit’s fliers it sends home, so the system must allow all or none.

The old policy permitted nonprofit groups to send fliers home with middle and high school students four times a year, unless the message was considered hate speech. The right was upheld in federal court several years ago, after a religious group sued the school system for refusing to distribute fliers promoting its after-school Bible study programs.

Debate over the district’s flier program was renewed in February after Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, a Virginia-based group, distributed fliers to five high schools with the message that homosexuality is not innate and that gay people can change their identities. PFOX has been distributing fliers in Montgomery schools for several years.

Many students and educators, including Schools Superintendent Joshua P. Starr, protested the message, calling it intolerant and potentially harmful to gay students.

Starr said Monday that it was important to rethink the policy. “We have to confront and be very sensitive to the health and well-being of our LGBT students.”

The handout distributed by [PFOX] states its belief "in unconditional love for family members with same-sex attractions" and its goal of seeking "to eliminate prejudice and discrimination against former homosexuals." PFOX executive director Regina Griggs says those who are raising angry objections to the flyer distribution are demonstrating intolerance. Also, she feels they are obstructing a legitimate effort to provide young people with certain facts about homosexuality.

These pro-homosexual tolerance and diversity advocates generally "see ex-gays as nonexistent," the PFOX official contends. And when former homosexuals are introduced to society, she says, many homosexual activists become afraid that this "confuses the public and may actually be a deterrent to gay marriage and other civil rights that they believe they deserve."

Last year, PFOX won a lawsuit challenging Montgomery County's sexual education curriculum. In that case, a federal judge ordered the school system to toss out the biased, pro-homosexuality curriculum that made derogatory comments about Christian views on homosexual behavior.

Friday, June 29, 2012

With the Supreme Court interpretation of ObamaCare as a constitutional tax, the federal taxpayer funding of abortion is transparent, and everyone who promised that Americans wouldn't be forced to pay for abortions, has been proved wrong.

“It’s a tremendous incursion on our freedom of religion, and it’s also abhorrent to those of us who believe that abortion is the greatest social injustice that mankind has every seen.”

The court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the individual mandate is a tax and that Congress has the constitutional authority to levy taxes.

“Once again we are faced with another decision – just like with slavery, just like abortion – the Supreme Court’s got it wrong,” [Students for Life of America Executive Director Kristan] Hawkins said, adding that voting for pro-life candidates in the 2012 election is vital to the fight to end abortion on demand.

Under the enacted law, federal tax-based subsidies will begin in 2014 to subsidize millions of private insurance plans that will cover abortion-on-demand, including some plans (“multi-state plans”) that will be administered by the federal government. Under another provision of the law, the federal government could even order many plans that do not receive federal subsidies to cover abortion as a “preventive” service. The law also created an array of other mechanisms and funding pipelines by which access to and subsidies for abortion can be expanded if President Obama wins a second term.

Abortion is woven into the healthcare law in several ways that must now be addressed including:

* Failing to prohibit the use of federal tax dollars for abortion, abortion coverage, and abortion-inducing drugs and devices.* Pretending that the Hyde Amendment protections were enough to prohibit direct payment for abortions.* Permitting federally-subsidized Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) to provide abortion coverage through the state insurance exchanges required in all 50 states.* Failing to prohibit all multi-state qualified health plans from providing coverage for abortion.* Including a “preventive care” mandate that is being used to force coverage of drugs and devices known to end life.* Failing to provide comprehensive First Amendment conscience protections for individuals, employers, and insurance companies that have religious or moral objections to abortion.

[National Right to Life President Carol] Tobias said today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding most of the ObamaCare law is a call-to-action for the right-to-life electorate to work to elect a Congress and president this November committed to repealing ObamaCare in 2013, in order to prevent a future in which abortion insurance will be heavily subsidized by federal taxpayers and federal bureaucrats will be authorized to ration life-saving medical treatment.

Of the decision, Family Research Council Legal Counsel Ken Klukowski, J.D., made the following comments:

"The Supreme Court has today given the federal government unlimited authority to use its tax power to require Americans to engage in specific commercial activity. The obvious implication is chilling: Uncle Sam can make you buy anything, at any price, for any reason."

Of the Supreme Court's decision, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins made the following comments:

"The Obama administration has created, for the first time in American history, new federal regulations that toss aside the constitutional right to religious freedom by forcing religious institutions and employers to pay for abortion-causing drugs, contraceptives and sterilizations."

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Despite a letter from the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation threatening a lawsuit if the name "Jesus" is ever heard again at Roanoke County board meetings, prayer proceeded as usual this week.

"The request didn't come out of Roanoke County, it didn't come out of Virginia, it came from somebody in Madison, Wisconsin. That bothers me I'm sorry."-- County Supervisor Joseph Church

[Board Chairman Richard] Flora said recently when reached by phone that it's the first time a complaint of this nature has been made to officials. He said a local pastor usually gives the invocation at meetings, but sometimes people are asked to do it and other times people volunteer.

When asked about how people are selected to give the invocation, [Roanoke County Attorney Paul] Mahoney said the county doesn't have a formal policy, just a routine. He said the board's clerk uses various resources, including the telephone book, and simply goes down a list to identify people willing to offer invocation. People can volunteer, he said.

For years, perhaps for more than a decade, Mahoney said the county has been asking local religious leaders to give the invocation and also share some information about their place of worship.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The Obama legacy will certainly be the historic juxtaposition of sodomy in the military — previously a court martial offense (yea, an abomination to General George Washington), to a celebration of hedonism — appropriately relegated to the basement of the Pentagon, as the White House declares "Gay Pride Month."

For the first time in its straight-laced history, the Pentagon thus celebrated "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Month," a stunning cultural milestone . . .

The ceremony, which was broadcast on an internal TV network to U.S. military bases around the world, was sober and strict - from the rhythmic 'hut, hut, hut" of the color guard marching into the auditorium, to pre-taped videos from President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and a panel discussion on "The Value of Open Service and Diversity."

It was far from an outre gay pride celebration, like the Manhattan parade this month that one blogger said featured "dancing boys, granny boobs, marching bands, rainbow Storm Troopers, babies, feathers, pasties, thongs-heck, even a bunny in a hat."

Yet the Pentagon is changing in ways that were unimaginable only months ago.

[Marine Capt. M. Matthew] Phelps told his story Tuesday at the Pentagon’s first-ever event to recognize the service of gay and lesbian troops. [CLICK HERE for a full transcript.] The historic event came nine months after repeal of the 18-year-old “don’t ask don’t tell” policy that had prohibited gay troops from serving openly and forced more than 13,500 service members out of the armed forces.

Phelps appeared on a panel of current and former service members, some of whom told of their experiences before the repeal of “don’t ask don’t tell” and how life is different now. The audience filled the seats and dozens more stood along the walls, roughly 1 in 5 were in uniform and the rest civilians who had not been subject to the old policy.

Keynote speaker Jeh Johnson, general counsel for the Department of Defense and the person credited for spearheading the effort to overturn “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” said that the next step is to mount efforts to provide federal benefits to “partners and other family members of gay and lesbian service members.”

"For the first time ever, the Department of Defense is making a positive event over behavior (sodomy) that had been a court martial offense a year ago," Chaplain (Col.) Ron Crews, USAR retired, executive director for the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, told The Christian Post on Monday. "Now the DoD is wanting to honor that behavior. That's the stark reality that we're living in now."

"During the repeal process the Department of Defense told Congress and they also told us that the homosexual community would not be considered as a separate class within the military, but yet by this celebration they are making the LGBT community a separate class," Crews said. "They told us one thing during the repeal and now they are doing exactly the opposite, which makes me wonder what else did they say prior to repeal that is going to change?"

Crews is leery of the process and views the current White House administration's actions regarding gays in the military as deceptive. He questions how the military will react when a chaplain refuses to take part in an event such as Gay Pride Month. Chaplains in Crews' association will not participate, he said.

In an email exchange with The Christian Post, Crews added, "This action causes me to wonder, 'what is next for our military?' I am concerned that DoD will pursue full 'marriage benefits' for same-sex couples regardless of federal law, another Presidential Executive Order bypassing Congress (similar to the latest immigration law he instituted)."

The [Pentagon gay celebration] announcement came during the same week that a group that advocates for the separation of church and state claimed victory after the DoD said it is removing military edition Bibles from its exchange stores. The chaplain alliance group is asking Congress to investigate whether the action taken was religious discrimination.

"By openly affirming bisexual and homosexual behavior, military leadership is coming into direct conflict with the morals and standards held almost universally by chaplains and service members of virtually every major faith group in the military," Crews explained. "This blatant attempt to 'celebrate' a minority view of political correctness will not endear military families to the military."

When asked about what his group hopes to accomplish by its announcement, he told CP, "I want the American public to see just where the current administration is leading our military. They have turned our armed forces into a social experiment at the cost of military readiness. I do not see how this action will encourage moms and dads to allow their sons and daughters to enlist."

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Speaking at Oyster River High School in Durham, NH, President Obama urged an intimate gathering of students and adults to help re-elect him so that Planned Parenthood will continue to be funded by the taxpayer, so that contraceptives will be free, and to ensure that mothers are free to kill their unborn.

“Gov. Romney and his allies in Congress fundamentally disagree with my vision.”-- President Barack Obama 6/25/12

More than 1,000 people — including students and adults — were packed into the humid gymnasium . . .

There was especially vigorous applause when the President referred to the repeal of the “don't-ask-don't-tell” policy, his recent decision to stop deporting young illegal immigrants who have graduated from high school or served in the military, and when he alluded to Republican attempts to restrict access to contraception and abortion.

“You get to decide whether to restrict access to birth control and defund Planned Parenthood and whether women get to make their own health care choices,” Obama said.

Listing the reasons why Americans should vote for him, President Barack Obama told a high school audience on Monday that failure to subsidize abortions and contraception is the same as “restricting access” to those services.

Obama did not explicitly say that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney or any other Republican has proposed to “restrict access” to birth control.

Monday, June 25, 2012

In the latest Gallup poll, 66% of Americans say that President Obama is either a Muslim, someone of no faith at all, or they just can't tell. Only 34% say that he's a Christian -- most likely of a generic sort, rather than a devotee of a denomination.

The poll released Friday . . . is striking, because few presidents have spoken and written as much about their faith as Obama. . . . He uses Christian language and imagery often in speeches.

[Apparently] a certain percentage of the populace knows that Obama professes a Christian faith but doesn't believe him.

Obama's father was born into a Muslim family in Kenya, but was an atheist by the time Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, according to the president's accounts. Obama has written that he was not raised in a religious household, but converted to Christianity as an adult, in part through [the heretical Rev. Jeremiah] Wright's influence.

Gallup notes that Americans are more likely to know the religion of Republican presidential Mitt Romney, "with most Americans correctly saying Romney is a Mormon and a smaller 33% saying they don't know."

This Gallup poll is not the only survey in the past several years to reveal that many Americans still aren’t sure what religion Mr. Obama practices. A 2010 Pew Research Center survey found that nearly one in five Americans say the president is a Muslim.

A quick analysis of Pew surveys from 2008 through 2010 reveals that a growing number of Americans think Mr. Obama is a Muslim. In March 2008, 12 percent of Americans said he is a Muslim, but two years later that number had grown to 18 percent.

The group of those who say they do not know Obama’s religion crosses party lines, with 47 percent of Republicans saying they don’t know, 46 percent of Independents saying they don’t know, and 36 percent of Democrats saying they don’t know.

The group of those who say Obama is a Muslim also crosses party lines, with 18 percent of Republicans saying he is a Muslim, 12 percent of Independents, and 3 percent of Democrats.

Gallup’s analysis of its own poll incorrectly says that “[j]ust 34 percent of Americans correctly say U.S. President Barack Obama is a Christian”—including 20 percent who generically say he is a “Christian,” 7 percent who say he is a “Protestant,” 4 percent who say he is a “Baptist,” 2 percent who say he belongs to the United Church of Christ, and 1 percent who say he is a Methodist.

Independents were more likely than Republicans or Democrats to believe that Obama was of “no religion” or “none.” Ten percent of Independents said that was their understanding, compared 7 percent of Republicans and 6 percent of Democrats.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Sixty-six congressmen have accused the U.S. Air Force of creating “a culture that is hostile toward religion.” The lawmakers' letter written to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta stresses that censoring Christians "is not required for compliance with the Constitution."

The lawmakers outlined several instances where they had problems with Air Force policy, particularly a memo last year from Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, which said that “chaplains, not commanders” should notify airmen about chaplains’ religious programs. The lawmakers wrote the memo was “suggesting that the mere mention of these programs is impermissible.”

They also took issue with the suspension of a briefing that discussed Bible references, the changing of a Latin office motto that included God and removing Bibles from Air Force Inn checklists.

They wrote the policy of “complete separation” between church and state is having a “chilling effect” down the chain of command.

The letter from 66 Republican members of Congress referenced a series of cases where they claim the Air Force "succumbed" to demands from outside groups.

Among the incidents:

- A decision to remove a Latin reference to "God" from a logo/motto for the Rapid Capabilities Office
- A decision to stop requiring staff to check for Bibles in Air Force Inn rooms
- The removal of a document from a distance-learning course for Squadron Officer School that suggested chapel attendance is a sign of strong leadership
- The suspension of an ethics course because the material included Bible passages

"Mr. Secretary, the combination of events mentioned above raises concerns that the Air Force is developing a culture that is hostile towards religion," the lawmakers wrote. They urged Panetta to investigate all the incidents and issue "clear Department of Defense policy guidance."

“When our sons and daughters join the military, they are not signing away their First Amendment right to religious liberty,” the letter states. “Unfortunately it seems that some parts of the military are intent on prohibiting religious expressions rather than protecting it.”

“The Air Force has repeatedly capitulated to demands from groups that seek to remove all traces of faith from the military and the public square. … Those who sacrifice so much for our nation must be assured that they need not leave their faith at home when they volunteer to serve,” Forbes said in a statement.

In the letter, the lawmakers say Schwartz is most responsible for what they say is a continuing pattern of anti-religious bias. They said a Sept. 1, 2011, memo issued by Schwartz imposed a “stringent policy with regards to religion”

Individual moves taken within Air Force circles since Schwartz’s guidance go beyond the requirements of the U.S. Constitution, lawmakers wrote. “The changes lend credence to the notion that the Air Force will remove any references to God or faith that an outside organization brings to its attention.”

Saturday, June 23, 2012

In response to a lawsuit threat from Americans United for the Separation of Church and State over prayers to Jesus, Marion County commissioners say they'll gladly fight in court for their constitutional rights -- residents agree.

An organization out of Washington D.C. is threatening to sue the Marion County Commission, for using the name Jesus in their opening prayer before the meetings. They say two people made anonymous complaints. The County Attorney disagrees with the complaint and says Commissioners will continue praying the way they have been.

In Marion County, before hearing from residents, commissioners first address the Lord, "We pray that you give us wisdom and guidance in Jesus name." Marion County Resident Ron White says, "It doesn't bother me. I just expect it."

But commissioners got an unexpected letter, complaining about the use of the word Jesus in their prayers from a group called Americans United.

“We appreciate the concerns expressed in your letter. We are aware that individuals may have strongly held views on this subject. However, in our experience, the feedback we receive from the constituents of our community on this subject usually reflects an appreciation of our willingness to humbly acknowledge and seek all the help we can get from one higher than ourselves, in doing the best job we can for our community,” board Chairman Charlie Stone wrote in the letter, soon to be sent to Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.

Stone added, “We respectfully disagree with your assertion that the Board’s invocation practice is inconsistent with the conditions placed on such prayer” by federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

“When individual commissioners offer an invocation, it is a prayer seeking the help and guidance of the God they know; it is not a speech to the audience,” said the letter, which also included a quote from the book of Isaiah about not making “meaningless offerings” to God.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Volunteer chaplains leading memorial services, graduations, and other ceremonies for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) are now barred from saying "Jesus" or "Christ" at such public events.

Maj. John Diggs says the goal is to be more sensitive to all the religions of the more than 2,000 police employees. Diggs says the policy is not designed to diminish anyone's Christian beliefs. But he says the police department is not a church.

Diggs says the department will find replacements for any chaplain who has trouble with the policy.

Diggs says the department's employees include Muslims and Jews. He says all six of the chaplains are Christian.

“Jesus is all I’ve got for a blessing,” said Sartain, pastor of Horizon Christian Fellowship in west Charlotte. “Now I’ve got to find a balance. I want to serve the officers and their families. I don’t want to jam my beliefs down anybody’s throat. But I won’t deny Jesus.”

The Rev. Russ Dean of Park Road Baptist Church said . . . he yearns for the day when rabbis, imams or Baptist preachers can offer the opening prayer at a Panthers’ game in their own way.

“Until then,” Dean said, “we are really asking people of diverse faiths to become a part of some homogenized pseudo-faith, a public religion that is offensive to all because it attempts to offend none.”

The N.C. legislature . . . often opens with Christian invocations, a practice that the American Civil Liberties Union has asked lawmakers to stop.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

After 25 homosexual couples filed suit against the Illinois law defining marriage as solely between one man and one woman, following the lead from President Obama, the Democrat-controlled Illinois government has, with no such authority, declared the law unconstitutional, saying they won't defend marriage in court.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez have refused to defend the 16-year-old ban, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman, saying it violates the state constitution's equal protection clause.

The decision has raised eyebrows among some legal experts who believe prosecutors are legally bound to defend Illinois law, and sets up a scenario where a judge could quickly strike down the marriage statute. Supporters of the ban say it's unconscionable that there might be nobody in court to defend it, and some are strategizing over how to intervene.

The decision not to defend a state law is unusual, experts said, but not entirely without precedent. Prosecutors in other states have refused to defend other controversial laws, including in Nebraska, where the attorney general refused to defend that state's abortion screening law after a judge temporarily blocked it, because he felt it ultimately would be found unconstitutional.

“Obviously, we feel that the marriage law needs to be defended,” said Austin Nimocks, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), which will be representing the Illinois Family Institute in a court battle over the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.

“It’s unfortunate” that state officials are not going to defend the law, Mr. Nimocks said Wednesday. “So that means that it falls to the Illinois Family Institute to do so, and they are obviously very proud to do so, and we’re happy to help with that.”

Separately, Peter Breen, executive director of the Chicago-based Thomas More Society, a conservative public-interest law firm, said his organization will “soon be filing a legal response” on behalf of other individuals who support the marriage law.

The court battle began May 30, when the gay couples, led by James Darby and Patrick Bova, and Tanya Lazaro and Elizabeth Matos, sued in separate lawsuits to end their exclusion from civil marriage in Illinois.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Every time lawmakers acquiesce to same-sex "marriage" and civil unions, the claim is made that a "religious exemption" in the bill means Christians don't have to "bless" homosexual behavior, but invariably, the opposite is true -- as with the lawsuit against St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Westchester County, New York for lesbian "spousal" health benefits.

The lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan sought past and future health care benefits and a declaration that the Westchester County couple is entitled to the benefits.

The lawsuit's plaintiffs remained anonymous. Defendants included Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield and St. Joseph's Medical Center. Neither immediately responded to messages for comment. The lawsuit says one of the women works at St. Vincent's Westchester, a division of St. Joseph's. The women's attorney, Randolph McLaughlin, said the lawsuit was unique because it challenges the federal Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA] to obtain health care benefits.

Since same-sex marriage became legal in New York last July, most companies in the state have extended spousal health benefits to same-sex couples. But self-insured employers, which include St. Joseph’s and other large institutions, are primarily governed by federal, not state regulations. As a result, they may deny health coverage to same-sex couples under the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. In the lawsuit, filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan, the employee argued that it was illegal to use the Defense of Marriage Act to justify denial of coverage, because the law is discriminatory and therefore unconstitutional.

. . . lawyers for the Westchester couple said they believed their suit was the first to cite a Catholic-affiliated institution and the private insurance company that administers its health plan, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, for denying coverage.

St. Joseph’s has more than 1,200 employees. Its insurance plan is self-financed, with Blue Cross Blue Shield acting as the administrator. Self-financed plans are exempt from many state laws, including New York’s Marriage Equality Act. It is up to such employers whether they want to cover same-sex spouses, or to use the federal definition of marriage to exclude them.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

When an abortion clinic is bombed once in a generation, thousands of mainstream media journalists, without any evidence, blaze front-page stories accusing Christians. Yet, when a Rockford, Illinois Catholic school bus with pro-life messages was burned last weekend, a scant few news stories were written -- none calling it a hate crime.

Were the perpetrators abortionists? Who knows? But since when did journalists need evidence.

The bus, owned by Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy, was damaged early on Saturday morning. Windows were broken and the bus was set on fire. The Rockford Fire Department is investigating the incident as arson, but there are no witnesses and no suspect at this time.

Some are speculating that the fire was in response to the closing of a Rockford abortion clinic, however, the Rockford Fire Department says there is no indication that anyone is being targeted.

It happened early Saturday morning in the parking lot of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy. As you can see, the bus displays religious messages and photographs on its side. Some speculate the fire may have been set to send some sort of message. But school leaders we spoke with say they just want to find the culprit.

The fire department says there's no evidence of religious or political motivation.

No one was injured, but the bus which displays religious photographs and messages on its exterior will have to be replaced, said Lou Bageanis, president of the Sacred Heart Academy School Board.

Sacred Heart Academy is a small, independent, Catholic K-12 school not affiliated with the Rockford Catholic Diocese. The bus is used for monthly school field trips. It is parked in the lot adjacent the school located in the 3200 block of 11th Street.

Speculation was reported on an anti-abortion website that the fire may have been set as an anti-Catholic message or in retaliation against anti-abortion groups that campaigned to close the Northern Illinois Women’s Center in Rockford, which its owners closed earlier this year citing lack of support from the community, the political climate surrounding the abortion issue and the staffing challenges the clinic faced.

Frank Munda, who runs the pro-life blog ProLife Corner, has more details about what happened:

A large school bus, owned by Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy, that is well-known throughout Rockford for its beautiful pro-life pictures and words asking people to “pray to end abortion”, was fire bombed on Friday night. The damage was extensive to the bus as windows were broken in on both sides and fire bombs were thrown inside to cause maximum damage.

On the day this pro-life school bus was viciously attacked, the Rockford Register Star ran a story about an attack against a building made by a pro-lifer twelve years ago.

They brought up again the story of Fr. John Earl who damaged the Rockford abortion mill in 2000. Fr. Earl paid his debt to society and has been a model citizen ever since for over a decade, but the Register Star brings up that 12-year-old story again, using Father Earl’s reassignment to a new parish as an opportunity to rehash what should now be a thing of the past and yet they ignored a current attack- the firebombing of a pro-life school bus.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Unlike media attention when "bad boys" sports figures and celebrities appear before tens of thousands of cheering fans, when role model quarterback Tim Tebow speaks on Fathers Day to a stadium of worshiping Christians, the media coverage is scant.

Tim Tebow spoke of faith and film at a Father's Day service for Shadow Mountain Community Church at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday.

The New York Jets quarterback revealed how his father, Bob, instilled lifelong values in Tebow using the movie Braveheart and Mel Gibson's depiction of William Wallace as a learning tool.

"It had the biggest impact on my life because every time I would go to practice from then on out, I would think of what my father said to me: 'Do I really love what I'm doing? Am I passionate about it? And am I willing to sacrifice more than anybody else?' " Tebow told a crowd of 26,000 of what he gleaned from Braveheart, which is still his favorite flick.

The Jets star, alongside Shadow Mountain Community Church Pastor David Jeremiah, said “it would be amazing to see how the next generation turns out,” if only famous athletes across the board could understand the force of leading by example.

The 24-year-old also touched on his well-known prayer position, which he said he’s been doing since his senior year in high school as a way to humble himself before and after games. The Tebowing phenomenon took off last season, but the quarterback said there’s a positive in it — even when opposing players do it to mock him.

“Most of the people that do it aren’t really praying,” said Tebow. “But at least it’s being talked about. At least prayer is being talked about, at least getting on a knee is being talked about. And I think that’s a good thing.”

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Florida said the professional sports world does a poor job of providing good examples.

“What’s so frustrating is, you have in today’s society so many famous athletes,” he said. “If we would come together and be great role models, it would be amazing to see how the next generation turns out.”

The quarterback has drawn similar crowds at religious events earlier this year [with little media attention]. An audience of 15,000 attended an outdoor Easter service in Texas. An appearance at a Las Vegas church in March drew 20,000.

The Christian athlete, who was the special guest for a ceremony titled, "Father's Day 2012: Encouraging Men To Live, Love & Lead," in San Diego, Calif., stressed the need for role models for the next generation, and shared how his dad was one for him.

"For me, it was about watching my dad. Because he could say whatever he wanted, but I watched him – how he acted, how he treated my mom, how he treated my four siblings, and that's where I learned the most from my dad is because it wasn't about what he said, it was about what he did," said Tebow, dressed in a pink striped shirt, tan slacks and loafers.

The quarterback told the audience that America's culture should get back to "what this country was based on: one nation under God." He also said he saw no problem in openly talking about his Christian faith, and welcomed the attention his convictions and the "Tebowing" prayer pose draw. "It's being talked about," he said. "That's exciting… It's OK to be outspoken about your faith."

Tebow and Pastor David Jeremiah of the host church, Shadow Mountain Community Church, spoke for more than 50 minutes at the event that was free and open to public. Many in the audience were wearing John 3:16 stickers on their faces.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

After Queens P.S. 195 principal Beryl Bailey declared fifth grader Kameron Slade's planned speech at a school assembly to be inappropriate, the New York School Chancellor Dennis Walcott, under pressure from homosexualists, overruled the principal. The student will now be allowed to publicly demonstrate, to everyone, the indoctrination by the education establishment.

Beryl Bailey, principal at PS195 in New York's Queens borough, barred 10-year-old Kameron Slade from presenting his essay urging respect for same-sex marriage Friday, the New York Post reported.

City schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said, however, while the fifth-grader "has the right" to present his essay, the extra day will give the teacher time "to reach out to those parents to make them aware of the content of the speech -- because we're talking about an elementary school."

Walcott said Friday that Principal Beryl Bailey will allow the speech to go ahead in front of a special assembly of fifth graders on Monday.

Slade said his speech calls for acceptance and tolerance of gay couples, and added he hopes parents talk with the children about same-sex marriage, because, in his words, “it’s out there.”

The New York Civil Liberties Union told CBS 2's Aiello that Slade’s First Amendment rights were violated.

“At a time when Marriage Equality is the law of our state, we should not stifle students from engaging this issue on their own terms and in their own ways,” said Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. “Kameron’s speech is a heartfelt expression of understanding that deserves to be commended. He has shown far more maturity than the adults in his school. His voice should be heard, not sidelined.”

Fifth-grader Kameron Slade was elected to represent his class in a school-wide speech competition, but had his subject matter denied by the principal, who deemed gay marriage an inappropriate issue. "She said that people have different opinions on it and that some parents may not want their children to learn about this type of topic," said the Queens student, who is as adorable as he is awesome. He said his mother's gay friends "seemed happy," and, "Best of all, they seemed to love each other."

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Angered by nearly 60 years of Christmas nativity scenes lining the street, last year the atheists forced the city council to enact a lottery for the spots on public property, but after the atheists won nearly every spot, erecting blasphemous displays, the city council voted unanimously to end all public displays.

"Both groups said their rights had been violated – the right to religious expression and the right to be free from religious speech."Where's THAT in the Constitution?!

For nearly six decades, private, life-size scenes celebrating Jesus Christ's birth have been a fixture each December in [Palisades Park] that runs along the coastal bluffs. In recent years, displays have also celebrated the winter solstice and Hanukkah and have promoted atheism.

Last year, after requests for display space exceeded the space allotted, the city held a lottery to allocate slots fairly and legally. Atheists won 18 of the 21 plots. A Jewish group that sets up a menorah won another. The Nativity story that once took 14 displays to tell had to be crammed into two plots.

City Atty. Marsha Jones Moutrie told the council that the city had received expressions of concern about 1st Amendment issues, including letters from two "K Street" law firms, a reference to the Washington thoroughfare known for lobbyists. She also said city staff had received "threats, physical and legal." She added that the lottery would become increasingly costly and difficult to administer given the heated emotions surrounding the process. "Our research shows we can legally ban all unattended displays in parks," she said.

Councilmember Gleam Davis said even if the council were to stick with the lottery system, there would never be a guarantee that the local churches would secure enough space to display all 14 nativity scenes, something which was a high priority for them. The lottery would have to remain open to all and city employees would not be allowed to discriminate based on an applicant's message.

No word as of yet if the committee behind the nativity scenes plans to challenge the council's decision.

. . . irrespective of the decision council members would reach on the ordinance, someone could argue the final vote violated his or her First Amendment rights. On one side, prohibiting the nativity scenes in a public park was construed as a violation of the First Amendment religious freedoms. On the other side, allowing the status quo to remain with groups being allowed to erect religiously themed displays was also considered a violation of one’s First Amendment right to be free from religious themed speech.

Many believed the nativity scenes and other religious displays promoted community, opponents of the public display ban argued. But most importantly, the ordinance’s opponents viewed the ban as an infringement upon religious freedom and a form of fear.

“Being an American gives me the right as an individual apart from any religious preferences to live in a community of my choice with other people. It, however, doesn’t give me the right to persecute anyone else’s choices for themselves, which, to me, means despite the fact that I’m not Jewish, I don’t have the right to tell anyone they can’t display a Menorah,” Santa Monica resident Patrick Potter said.

Friday, June 15, 2012

After about four decades without prayer at city meetings, the Weatherford council voted 4-1 for the Parker County Ministerial Alliance of Protestant pastors to schedule prayer leaders, despite threats from the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

The Parker County Ministerial Alliance asked for the move last month. There was some discussion in a work session last week of adding at least a moment of silence. Scott Wilson from All Saints Episcopal Church told the council they didn’t go far enough.

“We urge you not to falter under the tyranny or the bullying of a small minority whose thoughts are so different from the majority of us,” Wilson said during public comment.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation sent a letter to the city urging it to avoid constitutional concerns. The possibility of a costly lawsuit was what caused Mayor Pro-Tem Waymon Hamilton to be the only vote against the motion.

. . . The prayers will last one minute. The Parker County Ministerial Alliance, a group of Protestant ministers, will arrange for religious leaders to give the prayers. The alliance has said it will include representatives of other faiths who want to take part.

"While we understand this effort to satisfy a variety of citizens -- for us it's not adequate," [Wilson] said. "We know that members of the City Council pray privately before they begin their sessions and certainly that should be beneficial for those that pray. But a corporate prayer goes a great deal further; it becomes beneficial to the whole city."

"Our City Council is a pinnacle of leadership of Weatherford and effectively for all of Parker County, and a prayer to God at this meeting is asking him to guide us, provide for us, preserve our culture, our families, our schools and indeed to bring prosperity to our lives," Wilson said.

"When I look at the fact that the Supreme Court of the United States has a prayer prior to starting each session and the Senate and the House of Representatives, both in the United States and in Texas, have a prayer to each of their meetings, it's something that I would very much like to see us do," [Councilman Jeff] Robinson said. "Praying on your own is great, but when you pray as a group I think great things can happen."

A standing room only crowd, that included several members of the Parker County Ministerial Alliance, which asked the council to consider the items, was heavily in favor of the items. Alliance President Scott Wilson, who said he felt like he “was taking up for God,” said the council wanting a moment of silence simply wasn’t enough.

“Prayer is beneficial to the whole city, saying we are under God,” Wilson said.

Robinson brought out the fact that the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth and Congress open their sessions with prayer, saying it shouldn’t be an issue here. In closing, Wilson praised the council for its service and asked them to allow the alliance, which said at a previous meeting it would have ministers conduct the prayer, to do this for them.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

In April, President Obama's employment department (EEOC) enacted transgender rights by executive fiat, and this week the Senate's Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) hearing paraded a biological woman living as a man, all in an effort to give special rights, such as allowing cross-dressing men to use the ladies room and teach kids in Christian schools without reprisal.

Following a letter from Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Robert Casey (D-Pa.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine), the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions reopened discussion on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill that would prohibit nonreligious employers with at least 15 employees from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

While committee chairman Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) expressed a commitment to seeing [Senate Bill 811] move quickly through committee, he could not give any time frame. No Republicans attended what was supposed to be a full committee hearing.

Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and it is illegal in 16 states and the District of Columbia for employers to discriminate on the basis of gender identity.

An employer who discriminates against an employee or applicant on the basis of the person's gender identity is violating the prohibition on sex discrimination contained in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, according to an opinion issued on April 20 by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The opinion, experts say, could dramatically alter the legal landscape for transgender workers across the nation.

The opinion came in a decision delivered on Monday, April 23, to lawyers for Mia Macy, a transgender woman who claims she was denied employment with the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) after the agency learned of her transition. It also comes on the heels of a growing number of federal appellate and trial courts deciding that gender-identity discrimination constitutes sex discrimination, whether based on Title VII or the constitutional guarantee of equal protection of the laws.

The EEOC decision, issued without objection by the five-member, bipartisan commission, will apply to all EEOC enforcement and litigation activities at the commission and in its 53 field offices throughout the country. It also will be binding on all federal agencies and departments.

. . . after today's ruling transgender people who feel they have faced employment discrimination can go into any of those 53 offices and the EEOC will consider their claims. What's more, the EEOC could take action itself to sue the employer for discrimination.

The ATF Office of Equal Opportunity sent a letter to Macy dated May 18, a copy of which was received today by TLC and reviewed by Metro Weekly, stating that it was accepting for investigation Macy's claims of discrimination "based on gender (female), gender identity, gender stereotype, and or transgender status." Initially, ATF, which is within the Department of Justice, had stated that Macy's gender identity and "transgender status" claims were not able to be brought under Title VII, which led Macy to appeal her complaint to the EEOC, which found that her claims could be brought under Title VII.

Although the ruling from the EEOC is not the same as a definitive Supreme Court ruling on the question of whether transgender people are protected under Title VII's prohibition on sex discrimination, the decision has substantial impact because it is binding on the EEOC, all its field offices and all federal department and agencies. The EEOC's interpretation of Title VII and other civil rights laws are given significant deference by federal courts.

. . . "There's still a lot more steps to go. We still need [the Employment Non-Discrimination Act]. We still need an executive order [to ban federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity]. We still need a hell of a lot of training."

Gay rights activists have made significant strides in recent years on marriage and military service, but one long-standing policy goal remains elusive: a federal law to ban discrimination against gay workers.

Gays now can serve openly in the military. Gay couples now have some form of legal recognition in 19 states and the District of Columbia. But in 29 states, gay workers can still be fired or denied promotions simply because they're gay.

To be sure, 21 states ban job discrimination based on sexual orientation, and all but five of those prohibit bias based on gender identity. Hundreds of cities and counties across the country have enacted nondiscrimination laws. Federal government employees are protected by a policy that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. And nearly 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies have their own nondiscrimination policies.

But some legal experts say workers and their employers need the kind of legal clarity that only a federal law can provide. . . .

According to the Liberty Counsel, if a supervisor told a male employee he could not use the women's restroom, the employer would be in violation of ENDA.

Craig L. Parshall, senior vice president and general counsel for the National Religious Broadcasters Association, was the only witness to warn that ENDA would gut religious liberty. The NRB represents the free speech interests of Christian broadcasters and organizations.

"Requiring discrimination laws to adequately protect and accommodate the religious liberties of faith groups is not a mere legislative prerogative: it is a constitutional mandate," Parshall said in his written testimony.

"It is my opinion that ENDA, as it stands now in the form of S. 811, would impose a substantial unconstitutional burden on religious organizations. Furthermore, it would interfere with their ability to effectively pursue their missions."

Last year, supporters of equality celebrated the Supreme Court's decision to strike down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act, a ruling which, at long last, gave loving, committed families the respect and legal protections they deserve. In keeping with this decision, my Administration is extending family and spousal benefits -- from immigration benefits to military family benefits -- to legally married same-sex couples.

My Administration proudly stands alongside all those who fight for LGBT rights. Here at home, we have strengthened laws against violence toward LGBT Americans, taken action to prevent bullying and harassment, and prohibited discrimination in housing and hospitals. Despite this progress, LGBT workers in too many States can be fired just because of their sexual orientation or gender identity; I continue to call on the Congress to correct this injustice by passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. . . .